Before Destruction is
by Nuadha
Summary: "To be conceived before the last day of Summer and born towards the end of the following Spring. This child shall be the instrument by which the Fire Nation is to be led to true glory."
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Avatar: The Last Airbender or Fullmetal Alchemist.

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><p>Chains rattled, clanging against the stone floor. The man behind the rusted bars raised his head as she came into view. Long blonde hair swept down the sides of his weathered face, becoming tangled in his unkempt beard. Grey threads hung limply among the golden strands. He had been here a long time. Their eyes met.<p>

The man stared, his mouth agape. Moments passed, then he threw his head back and laughed. It was a cold and piercing cacophony. The laugh of someone who could find no other recourse against the absurdities of life.

She snarled at him before the guards moved her from view and further down the passage. The cackling followed her as they continued, echoing off the walls and surrounding her. She felt as if she was about to scream, an effort to drive this incessant noise away, but she stopped herself from emitting anything but a soundless gasp. She still had her Pride.

The laughter from the man subsided, only to be replaced by frenzied shouts.

"He did it! That bastard Prince actually did it!"

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"Are you certain of this, sage?"

The old man shrank under Ozai's penetrating gaze, nearly taking a step back. "Yes, my prince. The auguries are explicit. We have divined the omens multiple times. I assure you that we would not trouble your highness with anything that we weren't sure was the truth."

The prince cocked his head to the side. "I'm sure that you wouldn't, sage." He drummed his fingers against the arm of the black throne and glanced toward the tiled ceiling. "So, I'm to have another child."

The sage nodded quickly. "To be conceived before the last day of Summer and born towards the end of the following Spring. This child shall be the instrument by which the Fire Nation is to be led to true glory."

"So you have said, sage." Ozai once again fixed his gaze on the sage, causing the old man to tremble slightly. It was well known that the prince did not suffer fools and it was also well known that a large amount of fools seemed to end up before the man. "Tell me, sage, what is this true glory that my potential child is to bring to the Fire Nation?"

"We are uncertain, your highness. The portents did not show us more than what I have told you."

The prince leaned forward, his eyes glinting in the low light that the few candles provided. "It must be dominion over the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. What other form of glory would be worthy enough for the line of Sozin?"

The sage shook his head. "It is not my place to say, your highness."

Ozai nodded , straightening to his full height "Be glad that you understand that, sage. Now, leave me."

The fire sage bowed deeply before rushing from the chamber as if Agni himself was on his tail.

After the old man had exited through the double doors a feminine voice sounded from behind the dais on which Ozai sat. "Must you do that to everyone that comes before you?"

A grin broke across the prince's face as he looked up to the woman that now stood by his side. "Firstly, I don't do it to everyone, just to a select few. Secondly, I enjoy terrorising the peasants."

The woman rolled her eyes. "A fire sage is hardly a peasant, Ozai."

"It's all a matter of perspective, my dear. It's hard to separate them from up here." He leaned forward, squinting as he placed a hand above an eye.

Ursa gave him a light shove. "You're hopeless."

"If you say so, my dear." Ozai leaned against the back of the chair, the grin had vanished from his face. "What do you think about this... prophecy."

The fire princess considered the question for a moment before answering. "I can't say that I'm exactly surprised. I have been thinking on the possibility of us having another child. It's strange though, I was going to talk to you about it this week."

Ozai waved his hand dismissively. "Enough about that. What do you think of this child's supposed destiny? To be the instrument that leads the Fire Nation to true glory. Do you think that means a final victory in this war?"

"I wouldn't know. I've had my hands full with Zuko, so I've been too busy to keep up with the latest in war gossip."

Ozai shook his head. "You coddle the boy. How is he to become a warrior if you keep doting on him?"

Ursa gave a small laugh and placed a hand on Ozai's shoulder. "How is he to become a warrior if his father never teaches him? You spend far too much time at these war meetings."

Ozai ignored her observation, continuing with his line of thought. "If this prophecy is correct, then our branch of this family will be spending much more time at such functions." He paused, unsure of what to say next. "Do you want to-"

Ursa placed a finger to her husband's lips. "I was going to ask you, remember? This is a happy coincidence." She smiled, bringing her finger down to his chest. "I thought I was going to have to talk you into this."

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The sage crossed the threshold into the temple where the others were waiting for him. Wall-set lamps illuminated the circular room, revealing a gathering of robed men.

The eldest spoke, "Is it done?"

The newly arrived sage nodded. "The prince has been informed of the prophecy."

One of the gathered sages cleared his throat. "I question the wisdom of this course of action."

The eldest spoke, "Still? We have discussed this."

"Not thoroughly enough, I fear. I am still certain that the child is to be conceived on the last day of Summer and not beforehand."

"We examined the omens at least a dozen times and we all agreed that the child was to be conceived before the last day of Summer."

"I didn't."

"Well, it's a good thing that you are the youngest, Shyu."

The youngest of the assembled sages opened his mouth to speak once again.

The eldest spoke with an air of finality, "This matter is closed, Shyu. It would be wise of you to consider it so."

The youngest sage sighed, then nodded.

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><p><em>I hope that you found this interesting enough to review.<br>_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Avatar: The Last Airbender or Fullmetal Alchemist.

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><p>Azula pressed her palms to her ears. Perhaps she could simply sear them shut. She brought her hands down and breathed deeply, feeling the familiar pressure as she prepared to firebend, and then, nothing. She coughed. She hadn't been able to bend since she was put here. The laughter from the cell next to hers grew louder, prompting her to bring her hands to her ears once more.<p>

It was quiet for the first few weeks, with just the occasional drip of water or distant footsteps to keep her company. This monotony was broken every two days, so said the guard at least, when she was brought from her cramped cell to an empty, stone room. A white strip had been painted in a circular fashion, touching the walls in four, identical spots. The paint was luminous and gave the room an otherworldly atmosphere. She was directed to walk around the room, following the strip until the guards returned. Each time the guards would return after an hour, so they said, and she was brought from the room, past a wooden shelf where the paint was stored, and back to her cell.

There were two ways to her cell from the room. After several journeys the guards settled on one route. Every time they passed the blonde man's cell, he took one look at her and began to laugh uncontrollably. She snarled at the withered figure each time, spitting and cursing at his cell. The guards seemed to enjoy this spectacle. Why else would they bring her past him every time? Azula pressed her hands down harder. Why else had they just put the man in the cell right across from hers?

The sides of her skull began to hurt as she held her hands down firmly. However, the blonde man's laughter refused to subside. It crept into her brain, denying her anything resembling coherent thought.

"Stop!" The shout escaped before she realised what had happened. The laughter continued. She had lost, again.

Then, it stopped. Azula raised her head from her hands and peered through the darkness, making out the bars on the cell opposite hers. A gruff voice echoed from the blackness within.

"So, it can talk."

The gaunt outline of the blonde man appeared behind the bars. Metal scraped across the floor as he drew closer to them.

Azula growled. "Of course, she can talk."

She could make out a faint flash of whiteness from behind the bars. A smile?

"Only animals are caged, therefore you are an 'it'."

Azula snorted, and then grunted as she dragged herself and her chains from the stone floor. "No doubt you don't count yourself as one."

The man laughed again, making her flinch. "I am the ultimate 'it'. But you, you're just a bad joke. Another one of your father's failures."

The words awoke something within her. "Don't you dare speak about my father! You don't know him! A peasant like you never could understand his greatness!"

The blonde man grasped the bars of his cell, his chains rattling against the metal."I knew your father!"

Azula reeled, steadying herself against the wall of her cell, her eyes to the ground. "What?"

He spat before continuing. "I knew him. Before I met him I never thought that I'd meet someone more self-absorbed than myself."

"How..."

"Where do you think you are, princess? This is a dungeon for political prisoners. This is where those that the royal family discards are left. This place is for the trash."

She looked up. "Did my father put you here?"

"I am here courtesy of the Fire Lord Azulon and it is by that fact alone that I was the only prisoner not released when your brother became Fire Lord."

Azula held her gaze to where she thought the man's eyes laid. "Why?"

The blonde man pulled at his beard. "Well, I tried to kill you."

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Sweat beaded across the physician's brow as he crossed the threshold into the prince's domain. The intricately engraved doors opened to a wide granite pit. A raised dais lay opposite the heavy doors. Marble columns surrounded the sunken black floor, hiding the further interior of the quarters from view. The physician continued towards the dais, where an imposing figure sat on an obsidian throne.

The physician fell to his knees, his head bowed low. "My prince."

"Do you know why I have summoned you, physician?"

Yuu raised his head, his eyes meeting the prince's. "I'm not entirely-"

Ozai raised a hand, silencing the doctor. "I told you of my wife's predicament and I expected you to deliver on your word."

Yuu's eyes widened. "But, I-"

"Failed! Summers end is two days from now!" The prince rose from the black throne, hurling a glass vial at the cowering man. The vial shattered beside Yuu, causing him to fall backwards in an attempt to avoid its shards. A red liquid began seeping across the floor. "What good are you as a court physician?"

"Your highness, I can-"

Flames flickered to life in Ozai's outstretched hands. "No, you can't" The prince took a step forward. "And no, you won't."

Yuu flung his arms in front of his face, as the heat from the prince's flames began to rise. "I know someone who'll be able to help you!"

Yuu felt the heat that was becoming almost unbearable dissipate. He lowered his arms from his face, stealing short shallow breaths as he stared at the prince.

"Speak, physician."

Yuu spoke quickly. "There's a man in the city. A doctor of sorts. He's been there three months but already his reputation is growing. I went to size him up for potential employment at the palace, but I found his personality unfit for such service. But he is a medical genius and-"

Yuu flinched as Ozai raised a hand. "Enough. Where will I find this 'genius'."

"In the district off the market area, opposite the royal fountain."

Ozai lowered his arms and turned back to the dais. "You may leave, peasant." The implication was clear. Yuu was no longer a court physician.

Yuu scrambled to his feet, bowing as he backed away from the prince. "Thank you, your highness." As he passed the heavy doors Yuu turned and broke out into a sprint.

The guards that lined the passageway to the prince's chamber watched on, some with sympathy, others with apathy. Most were just glad that their prince would never be Fire Lord.

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><p><em>This chapter came a bit late. Mostly because I'm a serial procrastinator. But, if you found this interesting or enjoyable, I hope that you review.<em>


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Avatar: The Last Airbender or Fullmetal Alchemist.

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><p>Azula cursed herself as she paced around the stone room, the low sound joining her footsteps as they echoed from wall to wall. The whitish glow from the strip of paint on the floor illuminated the scowl on her face.<p>

"How could I be so pathetic!"

She kicked the wall. A small cloud of dust erupted from the base of the wall, dimming the light of the paint. Azula cursed again, ignoring the throbbing pain in her foot as she continued her trek. Her performance two nights beforehand had given the blonde man cause to ignore her. She had reacted as would be expected when told that the man before her had tried to kill her as a child, first with horror and then with morbid curiosity.

However, the old man refused to budge. He obviously enjoyed this new-found power he had over the imprisoned daughter of his enemy. He mocked her with his silence, as he had mocked her with his laughter. No doubt he would soon invent a new means of torturing her.

The latch on the door to the stone room clicked open, bringing Azula and her train of thought to a halt. The door groaned as it swung open. The orange glow of torches flooded the room. The guards had arrived. These faceless men shackled her once again. The iron weights hung heavily from her wrists, swinging slightly as she was brought from the exercise room, past the glow of the stored paint, to her cell.

As one of the guards stopped to remove a bunch of keys from his belt, Azula took the opportunity to peer into the cell opposite hers. The light of the guard's torches pierced the darkness inside, outlining the figure of a man slumped against the back wall. The old man was asleep. She sighed as the door of her cell slammed shut behind her. It looked like there would be no answers forthcoming tonight.

Azula put her back to a wall of her cell, letting the cold flow from the stone into her body. She didn't shudder. Though she had become used to the chill the pervaded these dungeons. It was still strange to feel frost where there had once been fire. She shook her head and glanced at the blonde man's cell.

She muttered, "I suppose that you're certainly used to the cold."

A response came from the darkness. "Does the princess want a blanket?"

For a few moments, Azula fumed in silence. She decided to ignore the jab. The man obviously had little else to over, but she wanted want he did have. "I thought you were asleep."

She heard chains creak and clink as the man moved in the darkness.

"Never assume anything. You should have learned at least that by now."

Azula's thoughts flashed back to the Boiling Rock. A knot began to grow in her stomach. She breathed in deeply. He was talking, and that she needed if she was to find out what she wanted.

His voice came drifting through the bars once more. "I suppose you want to hear more about me and your father."

Despite the darkness, Azula's eyes narrowed. "What has you so talkative?"

Chains rattled once more as the man made his way to the front of his cell, his figure becoming more concrete with each step. He wore a frown on his creased face. "After the time I've spent in here, princess, I thought I'd lost the ability to feel boredom. It seems I was wrong."

There was a curious tone to his voice. One Azula couldn't help but feel was forced, but the frown, that was real. Something was clearly bothering the decrepit prisoner. But, she didn't couldn't allow herself to be distracted. Not while he was willing to talk. "They say a strong mind is never bored. They, in my experience, being the easily amused."

A smile crossed the man's face. "Likewise, princess. Now, were did I stop last time."

Azula crossed her arms. "You said you're thrown in here because you tried to kill me."

The man raised a hand. "That was the official story. But, I doubt even Azulon knew the truth."

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Ozai had abandoned the typical royal entourage in favour of a smaller group of elite guards. He knew he didn't have the kind of rapport his father and brother were able to have with the common grunt, so he had adopted a different method to ensure their loyalty. By the prince's generosity, each of his guards were worth as much as a minor nobleman. As such, they had little incentive to turn against him.

The crowd parted as the prince and his guard passed the fountain. However, they did not pay him the attention that they would his father or brother. He doubted they even knew his face. He had not been honoured at the mint like his bother. To these peasants he was just another nobleman. Ozai rubbed his hands together. This prophecy will change all that.

The prince whispered under his breath, "I will finally get the acknowledgement that I deserve."

"Your Highness."

Ozai stopped and looked up. One of his guard gestured towards an arched entrance into an old brick building.

The guard spoke. "This is the establishment, sire."

Ozai nodded and passed under the arch. A short wooden staircase stood on the other side. The prince quickly made his way up the creaking steps, emerging into a large room. Sunlight glared in through the glass portion of the ceiling, their rays landing on a sizeable array of plants that lay against a wooden bench. Shelves brimming with glass vials and containers of all shapes and sizes lined two of the rooms walls, along with tables full of odd glass and metalware.

The prince's eyes fell on a door opposite the top of the stairs. The handle of the door turned and the door opened, revealing a tall, blonde man.

The prince's eyes widened. Blonde hair was incredibly rare in the Fire Nation non-existent within the Water tribes. The colour was more visible in the Earth Kingdom, but still rare enough to turn heads.

The man smiled and strode towards prince, bowing as he stopped. "Your highness, it is my honour to have you as a patron of my business."

"You know who I am?"

The man smiled again. "What good Fire Nation citizen doesn't know the face of their prince?"

He had a point. But, although Ozai resented his anonymity among the peasantry, he had been banking on it this time. If it came out he had been seeing a physician about this kind of problem, he would be the laughing stock of the upper classes.

The physician noticed the expression on Ozai's face and hastily added, "Of course, your highness, discretion is part of my practice. Now, could you tell me what you wish of me?"

"My wife and I are trying to have a child."

The blonde doctor finished the thought, "And you need help?"

A frown crossed the prince's face. He didn't like the word 'help'. Only the weak needed help and he couldn't stand the thought of his wife being weak. "Not exactly."

Realisation dawned in the physician's eyes. "You want to speed up the process, correct?"

The prince nodded.

"I've got just the elixir for you." The blonde man strolled over to one of the shelves and drew a vial of blue liquid from a wooden rack. He turned and presented the glass to Ozai. "This, my prince, will do exactly what you want. It has never failed me."

Ozai took the vial from the man's outstretched arm placed it in the front pocket of his robes.

"Will that be all, sire?"

Ozai nodded. "A servant will be sent with your payment later." With that the prince turned his back on the physician and mad his way towards the stairs.

As Ozai left the room, a smile crept across the blonde man's face. "It looks like I'm moving up in this world."

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><p><em>If you are enjoying this story, please review.<em>


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Avatar: The Last Airbender or Fullmetal Alchemist.

_I apologise for the lateness of this update. I have had a hectic month or two, which made me unable to focus on this story._

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><p>Azula wrapped her hands around the iron bars, her chains rattling against the metal. The blonde man's rasp reverberated throughout their small corner of the dungeon. She hung onto his every word, her eyes widening as he continued.<p>

"My mother needed help to get pregnant," she blurted out, interrupting her fellow prisoner mid-sentence.

He paused, a pensive look creasing his face. Slowly, he spoke, "No, I don't think that she did."

"Then why did my father come to you for your skills in such matters?"

The man smiled. "Surely you should know, Azula. Your father was never a patient man. Your grandfather found that out the hard way and... so did I."

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As the doors behind him closed, Ozai ripped his cloak from his shoulders and hurled it aside. He stood momentarily, his chest heaving, before storming towards throne. As he sat, he cast his thoughts back to his audience with the Fire Lord, his father. He let out a grunt. It had not gone as he had expected. Instead of reacting with joy to the news of the prophecy, that a grandchild of his would lead the Fire Nation to victory, he had laughed.

"_Ozai, you really must not take those doddering old men so seriously. Last month, they informed me that the next Avatar will be an air-bender. Can you believe those fools, there are no air-benders left in the world."_

Ozai snorted. His father dismissing people as old fools. It would be almost funny, if it wasn't so damaging to the Fire Nation. His father's cowardice had led to a stalemate in the war against the Earth Kingdom and and blind ignorance towards the growing power of the Water Tribes. Ozai brought a fist down on the black stone. They must be burned. He rose from his throne. And I and my child will be the one's to ignite the fire.

The prince turned to make his way into the inner sanctum of his chambers, a smile crossing his features as he walked past the columns. He halted as a woman appeared from behind a curtain. Ursa. His smile broadened as he saw his wife.

Ursa frowned and shook her head. A hand lay on her stomach.

Ozai whirled away from his wife and snarled.

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The blonde physician rose from behind his desk, stretched his arms and strode towards the cross hatch window that dominated the East wall of his study. Restlessness was still a novel concept to him and not entirely a welcome one. He had always been patient... before.

As far as he could tell, his arrival in this world had been rough. When he had awoken, he had found himself in the care of an Earth Kingdom village. From his burns, they had assumed that he had been fighting the Fire Nation. They approved, naturally, and so they took him in to treat his wounds. Pretty soon, the reverse was true and he became the local healer, doing what he could with the local plants, while learning what he could about the customs and practices of this strange new world. It had been a peaceful time. The Fire Nation had let up on its attacks in the region, focusing their resources elsewhere. It had been peaceful, yet so... provincial. Even the remotest regions of Amestris had been serviced by the grand centralised rail network. In this world, the only heavily industrialised industry was building of Fire Nation war machines.

He sighed as he glanced out the window, taking in the red bricked buildings of the Fire Nation capitol, the cast-iron chimneys of the few forges left in the city spew black ash and smoke into the otherwise clear sky.

"And this is the most technologically advanced city in this world," he muttered. "It appears that we don't know what we've got until it's gone." He stared wistfully at the faint reflection of a symbol in the window, his eyes glazing over as he became lost in thought.

A sudden, distant bang dragged the blonde physician from his reverie. He jerked his head towards the open door of his study, hearing footsteps pounding up the wooden staircase to his practice. He rushed to the door, crossing the threshold as an irate prince mounted the last few steps of the staircase.

He paused, raising an eyebrow as Ozai approached. Why would he be back so soon?

The prince raised an arm as if about to strike. "Are you nothing but a jumped up mountebank!"

A look of confusion crossed the physicians face. "What?"

The prince's face grew darker. Clearly, that was not the answer he was looking for. "I do not tolerate insolence, peasant, nor do I tolerate frauds."

"I'm sorry, but-"

"Nothing! Your potion was a failure, doctor. My wife is as pregnant as she was when I first came here."

The physician raised an open hand. "Your highness, the elixir does not take effect until several days after consumption."

Ozai growled. "I need my wife to be pregnant by tomorrow", he said through gritted teeth, "and since you are not willing to oblige me." A small flame appeared in the prince's outstretched hand.

The blonde physician's thoughts immediately turned towards alchemy. It was a bad habit of his. Alchemy did not work as expected in this world. He eyes widened as Ozai took a step forward. He was defenceless against the prince's forthcoming onslaught. A red glint in the corner of his eye caught his attention. That's it!

He threw his arms into the air. "Wait, my prince, I have another potion that will accomplish what you wish."

Ozai stopped. There was a look of desperation in his eyes.

The blonde physician took the opportunity to nab a vial of red liquid from a nearby shelf.

"Here, he said, holding the glassware out towards the prince. "This should satisfy, your highness."

Ozai extinguished the flame in his hand and snatched the vial from the doctor's fingers. He held it at eye level, examining the peculiar tint of the red liquid. "Why didn't you give this to me before, physician?"

"I didn't know your highness was in such a hurry."

Ozai fixed the physician with a long narrow stare, before grunting. "Fine, I'll take this potion" He placed the vial in his robes and begin to turn away. "Don't expect to be paid, physician. Think of this as compensation for your previous failure."

"Yes, your highness."

The blonde doctor watched as the prince took his leave, a wave of relief washing over him as the imposing man disappeared from view. His thoughts turned to the vial which he had just given away. "It should work," he whispered. "It has performed wonders before."

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><p><strong>To my reviewers:<strong> Thank you for reviewing this story. I'm sorry about the short chapters. It's a part of my writing style which I've been working on for some time.

_If you are enjoying this story, please revie_w.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own neither Avatar: The Last Airbender or Fullmetal Alchemist.

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><p>Azula's chest relaxed, letting out a breath of air she didn't know she'd been holding. The blonde man had stopped speaking, letting silence fill the space his words had once occupied. He had painted a picture of her father using a canvas of desperation and a veneer of anger. She could almost see her father standing in the the physician's practice, his stance wide and his arms crossed, a perpetual sneer plastered over his features. A mask. He looked so... pathetic. This thought shocked her more than anything she had learned tonight.<p>

She whispered, "He was like my brother was." No wonder he hated Zuko so much. Her brother reminded him of a younger version of himself. Weak and ineffectual.

Chains rattled as her fellow prisoner leaned forward in his cell. "Did you say something, my dear former princess."

Azula shook her head, ignoring his jibe. She loosened her grip on the iron bars of her cell and leaned against the stone wall. "I am wondering, why exactly didn't you give my father this medicine that he eventually forced out of you in the first place? Given that you seemed interested in gaining royal favour, this appears odd."

The man laughed, causing Azula to flinch. "You speak like the inquisitors, girl." He raised a hand, his chains jingling. "The two elixirs act differently. The first, while taking time to have an effect, has a near total success rate, and the second, while acting almost immediately, has a lower success rate and one or two side-effects. If I had known your father was in such a hurry, I would have given him the second elixir first."

Azula's eyes narrowed on the shape of the prisoner in the cell across from hers. Something was off. His tone had changed. She picked something relatively innocuous to comment on, not wanting to press the matter directly.

"Side-effects," she asked mildly

He raised his arms, bringing his shackles into view. "How do you think I ended up here?"

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The physician yawned and leaned back in the rough-cut wooden chair. Despite his altercation with the prince a fortnight ago, his patient workload had increased. He yawned again, reminiscing of a time when fatigue was a distant thought and sleep a nebulous concept. He wasn't sure whether he missed it or not. He glanced around at the various glassware and make-shift distillation equipment that littered the stained, wooden workbenches. He had come to this profession by way of his alchemical knowledge, healing only to survive in this strange new world. However, he had come to enjoy his work. The look in a parent's eyes when he told them their child would be fine. The relief of tradesmen when he declared them fit for work. The gratitude of the families of those he saved.

He smiled briefly. And yet, ambition still reigned supreme. He had left the sincerely grateful villagers and made his way to the great cities, seeking more materially grateful patients. He had not been disappointed in that regard, yet, ultimately, it felt hollow. His confrontation with the prince had brought that into sharp focus.

A sigh escaped his lips as he leaned his head back further. "I can only hope that it works."

A lone creak brought the physician's head forward. He surveyed the room, his eyes lingering on the banisters that made up the top of the wooden stairs as he eased himself from the chair. A shadow flitted in the corner of his eye. He spun around to catch it, only to be met by a spray of glass as the window imploded. His arms shot up to protect his face from the flying debris, leaving him blind. Before he could lower his arms, his legs were swept from underneath him and a a pair of hands forced him to the ground. Air exploded from his lungs as a rib cracked. Breathing heavily, he forced his head up, coming face to face with the jagged helm of a Fire Nation soldier.

"Shit!" He spat blood as he spoke. A hardened leather boot slammed into his face, disorientating him. Darkness crept inwards from the corners of his eyes as he struggled to move.

_Shit..._

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The physician lurched awake. Pain shot through his chest as he bolted upright. He brought a hand to his chest and prodded tentatively. A rib was definitely broken, perhaps two. He glanced around at his surroundings. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, iron bars came into view. A prison, or a holding cell. He pressed his back to the wall and pushed himself upwards, pain coursing through his body.

A bright light flickered in the distance. As it drew closer, footsteps echoed around the stone walls. He squinted as the light from the torch caught his eyes. Two guards came into view, one holding a length of chain. They opened the cell door, shackling his arms and legs before marching him down the black corridor.

After what seemed like an eternity of narrow corridors and steep stone steps, they arrived at a large wooden door. The physician was breathing heavily, his eyes to the ground, yet the guards gave no pause before pressing the door open. He found himself being dragged across the threshold, nearly tripping over his chains. As he attempted to regain his balance, he was forced to the tiled floor. Heat washed across his face, prompting him to raise his head. A wall of fire crackled and flowed around a raised platform, masking the platform's occupant in an eerie orange glow. The Fire Lord.

The physician struggled for words, but the Fire Lord spoke first, his voice booming and belligerent. "My son, the prince Ozai, has had you arrested for attempting to poison his pregnant wife. Normally, I would not interfere with my son's decisions on such a matter, but the way he's being treating the palace medical staff recently has given me pause, and so I am here to here your plea. Do not waste my time." Azulon crossed his arms, fixing the physician with a piercing stare.

The blonde physician opened his mouth to speak, to tell the whole story, to call forth his centuries of experience to aid in his release, and spat blood.

The Fire Lord gazed at the coughing wretch on the floor below him. "This was a waste of my time" He waved a hand. "Guards! Get him out of my sight."

The physician struggled as he was dragged from the room, begging his mouth to speak. As the guards shut the door in front of him, the world was, once again, plunged into darkness.

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Azula grinned. "That sounds like my grandfather."

The blonde man snorted. "I'm glad you're enjoying my story."

"Well, it is the only form of entertainment going."

A silence descended upon the pair of prisoners. The sound of water dripping echoed in the distance.

Azula spoke, "Have you ever tried to escape?"

The old man fixed her with a stare. "Once," he said slowly, his eyes falling to the ground.

Azula sighed, "I've no use for a broken man. You've been here for fourteen years and you've only tried to escape once. Pathetic!" She turned her back his cell and leaned against the bars of hers.

She heard him chuckle behind her. "That was then, princess, and this is now."

She turned once more to find him standing at the bars of his cell, his eyes flashing in the darkness. "Now, I have a plan."

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><p><em>This chapter was hell to write. I hope it came out well enough.<em>

_If you are enjoying this story, please review._


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor do I financially profit from this fanfiction.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_ I sincerely apologise for my extreme tardiness with regard to updating this story. I have little in the way of excuses, especially since I had already mapped out the last few chapters of this fanfic. Again, I apologise.  
><em>

_Furthermore, I wish to inform you that this is the penultimate chapter of this particular story and that the last chapter will be uploaded some time within the next two weeks. I hope you have enjoyed reading it so far.  
><em>

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><p>Azula tapped her foot softly against the wall of her cell as muffled footsteps sounded in the distance. The guards were late. She straightened up as the light from their torches grew brighter, narrowing her eyes as the blazing flames came into view. The masked officers remained silent as one of them unlocked the cell door. They rarely spoke.<p>

She was led out in front of the two guards, catching the glint of her fellow prisoners eyes as he watched the proceedings. She raised her hands slightly as they began to walk. Her chains clinked, but the noise was drowned out by the collective din of the three's movements.

Focus. This has to be timed perfectly. She glanced back at the guards from the corner of her eyes. Focusing requires an object to focus on. She had always had such objects. Surpassing her brother. Capturing the Avatar. Gaining her father's favour. But Azula was a firebender, and for all those learning the ancient art, a candle was the first object.

Azula's eyes locked on the torch the guard held just to her right and yanked on her chains while jumping to face the other direction. The chains tightened momentarily as the weight of the guard holding them pulled her downwards, before slackening just as quickly. The satisfying crunch of the guard's head against the wall behind her reverberated around the narrow corridor, followed swiftly by the muffled echo of his body slumping to the floor.

As far as she could tell, the other guard was stunned by this turn of events. Not waiting for him to recover, she punched the torch in his outstretched hand. A small fireball engulfed the man's head. He screamed, clawing at the mask, desperately trying to pull it from his face. He fell to his knees, clutching his throat, and then collapsed to the ground.

A gruff laugh sounded from the cell just down the corridor. "I haven't smelt meat in years."

Azula stepped over the corpse and retrieved the fallen set of keys from the ground. She located the correct key for the shape of the locks on her wrists and inserted it into the one on her right hand. A click emanated from the band and it snapped open, quickly falling to the ground. She repeated the process with her other hand, rubbing her wrists as she walked towards the blonde man's cell.

As she stepped in front on the cell, the blonde man walked towards its door. She could just leave him here. Her instincts were telling her to do so, but after that incident at the palace, Azula had decided to ignore such niggling thoughts. Besides, he knew the way out and judging by his physical state, the man was unlikely to attempt to attack. An intelligent being wouldn't and the man had proven himself to be intelligent. A little too intelligent for her liking, but intelligent nonetheless. She unlocked the door of the cell and the old, blonde man stepped outside, drawing himself to his full height. He wall tall. A fact emphasised by his scrawny frame.

The blonde man glanced down the hallway at the bodies of the two guards, before grunting and turning to walk in the opposite direction.

Azula paused. "Isn't the entrance in the other direction?"

"Oh, we're not leaving through any doors of theirs."

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The physician gingerly placed a hand on his tender chest, feeling for the broken rib. A short burst of pain danced throughout his ribcage, telling him that he had found the right rib. His movement would be restricted for a long time. He snorted, ignoring the resulting pain. So much for moving up in the world.

He leaned back and propped himself against the back wall of the cell. Damp seeped through his undershirt and onto his back, cooling him against the inevitable onslaught of his growing fever. He blinked as his eyes grew heavy. Perhaps some sleep would do some good.

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When he awoke, the Physician was no longer in his cell. A familiar, white, featureless plane expanded in all directions. He glanced back over his shoulder. A solid black door hung motionless a few feet above the ground. Nice to know that some things never change.

He turned back, coming face to face with a faintly glowing white orb. He scrunched his nose in disgust. "Must you take that form?"

A mouth formed on the orb and it spoke. "I do not choose what form I take, dwarf." The euphonious and melodious sound of the orb's voice flowed throughout the plane. "There are relatively few choices I can make and I take great care in those I can. Though my freedom, and the freedom of those like me, is less restricted in this world."

Father laughed coldly. "Who would of thought God was bound?"

The orb smiled. "I am of many, among many, and therefore, I am also you."

Father frowned and folded his arms. "We've been through this before."

"And we shall go through it again as you obviously did not grasp my meaning the first time. I have given you the despair you deserve. You are now of those you hated. You are now human."

Father gritted his teeth together, his eyes narrowing.

The orb's smile broadened. "You even move like one."

Father growled. "Why are you even here?"

"You have interfered with the balance of this world in a manner which cannot be tolerated."

Father's eyes widened. "The red water."

"Correct. Had you given it to anybody else or had you used it for any other purpose, the consequences would not approach the severity of the future deviance you have created. The child of Ozai will not be as it is meant to be. What was once meant to be glorious shall now be shameful."

"Why do you tell me about this?" Father threw his hands in the air. "I'm just a lowly human now. A caged one at that. What can I possibly do?"

The white orb pointed a finger at the dishevelled, blonde man. "You shall bring someone to me."

"Who?"

The orb grinned once more as the empty plane blurred into obscurity. "You will know. You will see it."

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><p><em>Thank you very much for reading, and if you enjoyed this fanfiction, or you have any criticism to offer, please feel free to review.<br>_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor do I financially profit from this fanfiction.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>_Once again, I am late. I apologise. Well, here it is. The final chapter of this little story of mine. I hope that you enjoy it._

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><p>Azula followed the blonde man as he led the way through the twisting corridors of the prison, taking care to remain several steps behind him at all times. "I take it that you intend to make a door then?"<p>

"In a manner of speaking."

She quickened her pace as her companion's strides grew longer, narrowing her eyes. He rarely responded to direct questioning. "How did you attempt to escape before?"

They rounded a corner and the former physician snorted. "A stupid act of desperation. No forethought, no planning. I barely made it fifteen feet from my cell." He paused at a junction in the dungeon, prompting her to come to a halt behind him. He raised a hand, as if testing the air. Then, lowering his arm, he continued leftward.

Azula sighed. "Do you even know where you're going?" The blonde man chuckled, the eerie sound bounced from the stone walls to her ears. She winced. If there was one thing she was looking forward to, it was not fresh air or freedom, it was putting as many leagues as she could between her and this man's laughter.

"You haven't been here that long, girl. I remember where we used to meet."

"We?"

He nodded. "My fellow prisoners and me. Before your dear brother, the Fire Lord, saw fit to free them all."

She snarled. "My brother is a fool."

"Perhaps. After all, many of those he released certainly did not deserve clemency." He turned his head to side and grinned at her. "Though, I can't criticise, since I planned to free many of them along with myself."

"How?"

"You'll see soon enough."

###

The two prisoners came to the end of a hallway. A heavy, iron double door lay to the right, each of its halves containing a barred window. Azula could make out a faint, white light in the dim recesses behind the door. She glanced at the blonde man as he placed his hands against the door and pushed. What was he planning?

The doors swung open to reveal a large, square room. The source of the light was immediately apparent as the same paint that was used to form a strip around the room where the guards brought her to exercise. Only here the paint was smeared in an intricate pattern across the floor, with lines criss-crossing each other within a circle.

The blonde man crossed the threshold into the room and headed towards the opposite wall. "The guards used to bring the better behaved prisoners here as a group. They didn't expect us to make any trouble." He knelt down before the wall.

"I don't see any doors in here," she said drily.

The former physician raised his head. "Can you hear that?"

Azula tilted her head and took a step forward into the room. "Hear what?"

Her fellow prisoner gestured for her to come closer. "Behind the wall."

She walked gingerly across the room, her eyes fixed on the man's back. If he tries anything, she would... Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of water droplets splattering against rock. "What is that?"

"This, my dear girl," he said, turning to her with a grin on his face, "is our way out." With a grunt, he stood up and continued, "We found this passageway behind the wall during our time here. The water had dissolved the mortar between many of the stones. We removed the rest." He took a step towards Azula, prompting her to step backwards. "We intended to escape, but your brother's bout of good will put an end to that... at least for me."

"Why didn't you escape by yourself?"

"The passage is too dangerous for one person to traverse. But with you..." He took another step towards Azula, forcing her into the centre of the room. "I can finally get out of here."

Azula opened her mouth to respond when bright light erupted all around her. She threw up her arms to shield her eyes, just catching the face of the old man. His lips moved, but she could no longer hear. She shut her eyes against the blinding light.

###

Father's breath grew heavy as he knelt before the wall. Fifteen years. It was almost done. Fifteen years. He turned towards Azula, telling her of his and his fellow prisoners' plans to escape. Plans... more like flights of fancy. The way beyond the wall was slick and dark and, for all they knew, led to nowhere.

He walked towards the young girl, forcing her to step backwards to maintain a distance. He glanced at the markings on the floor, checking them for the last time. He placed his foot on the outer circle of the design, just as she crossed into its centre. "I can finally get out of here."

The alchemic drawing flashed to life, nearly blinding him with its brightness. Through squinted eyes, he made out the cowering figure of Azula as she vainly attempted to protect herself from the circle's powers. "Sorry, princess. This is how it has to be."

###

When Azula opened her eyes all she could see was white. She lowered her arms to her side and glanced around at the nothingness that seemed to expand in all directions. There was no sound and no smell. She could not even feel the air around her. She caught a glint of blackness in the corner of her eye and turned around to see an enormous, obsidian doorway.

Her eyes widened as she gazed at this floating gateway. She took a step back, taking in the entirety of its frame. A single flame was carved into the centre of the door, flanked by jagged bolts of lightning. They almost seemed to move.

"You're here."

Azula jumped, swinging around to locate the source of the voice. A figure, or rather the shape of a figure stood before her. It's outline a faint black, holding in a glowing blue. "A spirit!"

The shape smiled, revealing an unnaturally large set of teeth. "Close enough."

She frowned at the thing's joke. This was not a time for flippancy. "What do you want?"

The thing's smile faded. "Yes, this is all about what I wanted. You are the unfortunate product of that. My mistake."

Azula felt her hands clench into fists. "Your what?"

The thing appeared to ignore her, continuing it's speech. "I was a fool. I did not know my place."

Azula snapped. "What the hell are you!"

The thing finally seemed to notice her again, as it once again smiled. "Ah, this part. It always comes down to this." It extended its arms outwards. "I am what you would call 'The World', or 'The Universe', or 'God', or 'Truth', or 'All', or 'One', but," said the figure as it swung an arm towards her, "I am also 'You'." It chuckled. "In this case, you are also 'Me'."

She raised her arms. "What the hell are you blabbering about?"

"You may learn, in time."

Azula felt a rush of air passing by her and turned to see the giant doors of the gate open. Smoky, black tendrils flew out, latching themselves to her body. "Wait! No!" She clawed against the ground where she now found herself, desperately attempting to find some purchase with which to stop the inexorable movement towards the gate. "I don't want to! No! Azula fixated her eyes on the figure as she was dragged across the threshold. "Please, stop!"

The thing frowned and shook its head. "Despair comes to those of us who become swelled with pride."

The heavy black doors swung shut, and then, only darkness prevailed.

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><p><em>Thank you for reading this work of mine to its conclusion. If you enjoyed this fanfiction, or you have any criticism to offer, please feel free to review.<em>


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